1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to a touch screen panel, and more particularly, to a touch screen panel in which occurrence of a deformation, such as a scratch, is minimized at the intersections of coupling patterns coupling first sensing cells and second sensing cells respectively in a first direction and a second direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch screen panel is an input device allowing a human hand or an object to input a command of a user to select content displayed on the screen of an image display device. Therefore, the touch screen panel is disposed on a front face of the image display device and converts a point of contact of the human hand or the object into an electrical signal. Therefore, the content selected at the contact position is received as an input signal. Since the touch screen panel may replace an input device coupled to the image display device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a similar external input device, use of the touch screen panel is increasing.
Methods of realizing a touch sensing method of a touch screen panel include a resistance layer method, a photo-sensing method, and an electrostatic capacity method. Among the above, in the touch screen panel using the electrostatic capacity method, when an object, such as a human hand or a stylus pen, contacts the touch screen panel, conductive sensing cells sense a change in electrostatic capacitance of sensing cells or a ground electrode at the contact point. The position of the contact point where the change in electrostatic capacitance occurs is converted into an electrical signal.
The touch screen panel using the electrostatic capacity method includes first sensing cells coupled in a first direction, first coupling patterns coupling the first sensing cells in the first direction, second sensing cells coupled in a second direction, and second coupling patterns coupling the second sensing cells in the second direction so that the coordinates of the contact position are detected.
The first sensing cells and the second sensing cells are alternately arranged in a same layer so that an entirety of the touch screen panel has a uniform reflectivity. Since the first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns intersect each other, an insulating layer is disposed between the first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns.
The first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns are formed of fine patterns in comparison to the first sensing cells and the second sensing cells. In particular, at the intersections of the first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns, step differences exist due to a lamination structure of the first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns and the insulating layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a scratch is easily formed at the intersections of the first coupling patterns and the second coupling patterns during manufacturing processes or during handing of products. Thus, a defect in the touch screen panel may occur due to the damaged first and second coupling patterns.